Mundus Is Listening (Full)
by AustinC96
Summary: As a child, Merri's father always told her of a saying. What does it mean? Where did it come from? Join Merri as she searches for the answer. This is only the beginning of a journey that will take Merri to the ends of Mundus and beyond. Speak. Be heard. Mundus is listening.
1. Chapter 1

"**Hiu Zok Hokoron Nis Kos Sein, Haalvut, Ahr Hon**". As a child, my father used to say this to me every night before I was lain to sleep. I never understood it. When I came of the age 17, I left Rorikstead. I was excited to begin my life under Talos, but that wasn't my greatest motive. I wanted to find out what that saying meant. I tried asking my father several times, but all he would say was "In due time, Merri.". I saddled Ol' Shelda and said my last goodbyes. I made my way north to the city of Solitude, the largest city in Skyrim. If anyone knew what the saying meant, they'd be there. It was quite the trip, but I knew Shelda would make it. That steed has been my pride and joy since we first found her as a colt when I was 10.

After several days of walking, we finally arrived at the Solitude gates. There were several guards standing outside. When they noticed me, one of them seemed to recognize me. "Merri?". It took me a moment to realize it, the guard was my uncle.

"Uncle Azloph! I didn't know you were stationed in Solitude.". Shelda and I ran up to him. "I just got here last night. I received a letter from your father a couple days ago saying you would be here. So, I requested to my Legate that I come to Solitude as soon as possible. It's not safe for a girl to be out in Skyrim alone, even if you are of Nord blood.". Azloph looked to the other guard. "J'aad, find one of the others. Tell them to hold my position. Now, come with me, child. You can stay at the barracks." he insisted. "Uncle Azloph, don't you think it would be better if I found my own place to stay? I mean, I am trying to live on _my own_.". Azloph had that look my father gave me. That look that made you know you said something stupid. No one would ever doubt he was my father's brother. "Would you rather spend what little coin you have on a room in a dangerous Inn, or come stay in the safest room in Solitude?" he asked. Yep, he's definitely my uncle! "Fine, but just until I can get my own place.".

Azloph and I walked up to the Guard Barracks. When we arrived, he showed me around. I figured I would ask him if he knew anyone who could explain the saying. "Uncle Azloph, when I was little, Father used to say something to me before I went to bed every night. He would say 'Hiu Zok Hokoron Nis Kos Sein, Haalvut, Ahr Hon'. Do you have any idea what it means?" His attention was taken from putting away my bags and his face became that of disappointment. "No, your grandfather used to say that to Alvar and I when we were children. We never knew what it meant. Alvar clams he figured it out, but he never shared it with anyone. I don't really know anyone who could... Wait! There's a man that travels with a Khajiit trade caravan. Dellus Antano. He should be passing by the East Empire Trading Company docks any day now. Head down there tomorrow, you might be able to catch him. If you do, tell him Azloph sent you." That night, I laid my head down on a surprisingly comfortable loft. It didn't take long for me to drift asleep.

When I awoke I was laying on a stone table inside of a Nordic ruin. I was covered in some sort of blood that reeked of troll fat. I rolled of the table and found myself standing before three odd looking women. They weren't human, that was obvious. They looked like a cross between my Great Aunt Pannia and a... Bird thing. One tried to grab me, but I was able to avoid it and run past them. I ran as fast as I could through a stone doorway only to find myself on a ship. When I looked behind me, there was no door. "What's happening?!". There was no land in sight. I looked behind me once more. There was another ship, with the starboard side facing me. Before I had time to react, the ship was hit. I fell to the ground. When I stood up, there were several ships surrounding me. I began to scream as loud as I could. I then felt something hit my head.

I woke up. Apparently I was having a nightmare and when I started screaming, one of the irritated guards threw a tankard at me. The angry Dunmer yelled "For the love of Talos! Some of us are trying to sleep here!". Uncle Azloph walked into the room. "Well, it's time to wake, anyway. Merri, what happened?". I never realized how calming Uncle Azloph's voice was. "It's okay. You can tell me later. For now, you need to get down to that dock. Dellus should be there any minute.". I made my way out of bed, got dressed, and started towards the docks.

When I got there, there was no caravan in sight. I walked up to a guard and asked them if there would be one passing through. "As a matter of fact, there will be one. Wait... They're here. Look!". Sure enough, there it was. Three covered carriages made their way down the hill. Two Khajiit and a Nord got off the leading carriage and began walking down the stairs, towards a ship. "That man _must _be Dellus!". I ran across the boardwalk by the loading docks and right up to the man. "Excuse me. Are you Dellus Antano?". And just when I thought Skyrim was full of nice people... "What do you want? I'm on the clock here. I don't have time for your shenanigans.". What a troll! I'd never wanted to slug someone so hard in my life! "Sir, Azloph sent me. He said you could translate a saying for me.". I've never seen someone change so instantly. His scowl turned to a smile. "Azloph? Is he here? I haven't seen him in ages. Let me finish with this trade and I'll be right up there. I take it he's still a guard, yes? Pfft. The man needs to be a soldier! He's too damn skilled to be a guard!". I waited for Dellus to finish the trade and then he and I began walking to the Barracks.

As we approached the city gates, we saw Uncle Azloph speaking with an Argonian man dressed in iron and fur. I don't think they were making small talk. The Argonian was very angry, and was blasting his voice. "Listen, you little Snow-Back! All I want is to get into the tavern for a drink! Wait... This is about me being a 'lizard', isn't it?! You think..." Before the Argonian went any further, Uncle Azloph's voice raised. "Sir, by the Imperial Law, if a guard feels as though the Hold is threatened by an individual, the guard does not have to let the individual through the Hold gates! Now, I will ask you again, please stand down!" I've never seen this side of him before. Uncle Azloph grabbed for his sword, but did not unsheathe it. The Argonian shrugged and walked away.

Dellus walked up to Uncle Azloph. "Well, no wonder you never lose a fight. The challenger always backs down." He said. Azloph shook his hand with a pat on the shoulder. "I've actually been in quite a few tangles." Azloph replied. He gave Dellus the key to the Barracks and said we were welcome to any food there.

When we got there, Dellus immediately got to business. "So, you say you have a saying that needs to be solved. Have you any idea of the language?" He asked "No, sir. My father used to say it to me every night before sleep. 'Hiu Zok Hokoron Nis Kos Sein, Haalvut, Ahr Hon'.". Dellus eyes opened wide. "Dovahzul" He said. "It means Dragon Voice. It's an ancient language created by the dragons, themselves. It is several thousand years old. The only non-dragon beings known to speak it are those who would spend their entire lives studying it, and the Dovahkiinne. The Dragonborns. Those born with the ability to kill dragons and absorb their souls, and their knowledge. But, the chances of you, your father, or even your grandfather having dragon blood is... Unbelievably slim." He explained.

I was amazed. How could dad have come across this saying? "Dellus, do you know of anyone -anyone at all- that could translate this?" After thinking for a few seconds, Dellus answered. "Yes. I know of two. One is a genius Breton who has spent her life studying the Dovahzul. The other, well... Let's not talk about him. The problem is the Breton, Helvia. No one has seen or heard from her in years. Last time I saw her, I was making a trade run by the College of Winterhold and she was there. I don't think it's safe for you to go up there alone. I'm pretty tied up with the caravan now, I'm lucky they let me come here to talk to you. As for Azloph, I'm sure he has his hands full scaring off milk drinkers. So, I doubt you can go to Winterhold. That only leaves... Vilvani.

He's in Solitude, but not where you want to be. Vilvani the Vicious is what we used to call him. He made quite a name for himself running mercenary missions for the Imperial Army. No matter how much they begged him, he refused to be a soldier. Well, one night after he finished clearing out an entire bandit camp alone, he was celebrating down at the Winking Skeever with some of the soldiers. He had one to many bottles of mead and started picking a fight with a Nord Legate named Izuss. They got into a bit of a shoving match which broke out into a bar fight. Vilvani was arrested for murder of an Imperial Legate. I still don't understand why they didn't have him executed. Not that I want him to be. Anyway, he always claimed he could speak the language. But no one ever heard him say a word of it." I had to know what the saying meant, no matter who I talked to. "I want to meet Vilvani. Get Azloph to take me to him, first thing tomorrow." I demanded. I was trying to make it obvious that I meant business. Dellus shrugged and agreed. "If you insist."

Morning finally rolled around. When I woke, it was barely dawn. I realized that all the guards were rummaging. Something was wrong, I could tell. "Azloph! What's happening?" I yelled. "Merri, stay in the Barracks. Do not leave, understand?" Something was most definitely wrong. I agreed, but my intention was not to just sit here. I wanted to know what was happening. I jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes. Then one of the guards yelled. "Azloph, I'll take Merri to the Keep! It'll be safer there. Merri, come with me.". The guard and I ran out of the barracks. As we were running towards the Blue Palace, I heard a noise. It was unlike anything I've ever heard. It was almost like... A roar. The guard stopped "No, it can't be.". The guard was obviously scared. One of the guards in the watchtower yelled "Dragon!" '_A dragon? I thought they were extinct.'_. "Merri, come on! We need to move!". The guard and I made it to the Keep safely. The guard instructed me to not leave the room. He grabbed his bow and ran out the door.

Then, I heard a voice yell. "Let me out! I can kill that thing!". I jumped up and ran into the Cell room. There was a Dunmer man with his face against the bars. "Please, lass. Let me out of 'ere. I know how to kill a dragon." It took me a second to realize it. "You're Vilvani aren't you. The one that killed the Legate.". His face turned sad. "It seems that's all people know of me, anymore. Listen, lass. I know who you are. You're the girl in search of translation, yes?". '_How does he know who I am? Did Dellus talk to him?'_ "I'll make you a deal. You let me out of here so I can kill that dragon, and I'll translate that saying for you.". '_Is he serious?'_ "Now why would I break you out of prison? How do I even know you're telling me the truth?". He took a few steps back from the bars. "Oh, forget it. Stand clear, lassie!". I backed away from the bars. Then Vilvani shouted something. I don't know what he said, but it caused a powerful gust of wind to come from his mouth. It shattered the cell doors and pushed me to the ground. "Really? You're saying this whole time you could have broken out?". I asked. "It's all about patience. If I had broken out before, the guards would've just thrown me back in. Or worse, killed me. These guards are my friends and former allies. I refuse to hurt them... Or let them be hurt. Now let's go!". We ran right passed the armory. _'Where does he think he's going. He needs a weapon'_.

When we got outside, Azloph noticed him. "Vilvani. What are you doing?". Azloph yelled. Vilvani stopped and yelled back. "You always asked what my secret to success was, Azloph! Watch closely!". The dust around his feet began to spiral upward around him. If eventually cloaked his whole body. When the dust fell, Vilvani was no longer in rags. He was standing right before us in some kind of bone armor. Azloph was amazed. "Vilvani. You're...". Vilvani disappeared into thin air. When the guards and I ran outside the hold walls we saw Vilvani standing before the dragon with a sword made same as the armor. Within seconds, Vilvani had slayed the dragon with nothing more than a single sword and his voice.

Dellus came running from inside the hold. I thought he'd already left. "Vilvani... is Dragonborn?". As Vilvani was walking back towards us More dust kicked up and his bone armor soon turned into clothes. "Yes, Dellus. I've always been Dragonborn. I'm sorry I never told you.". Azloph was furious. He came over to us in a fit of rage. "Don't apologize to _him_!". Vilvani turned to Azloph. "Azloph, I'm sorry I killed Izuss. I know what it's like to lose a loved one.". Azloph was angrier than ever. "She was my wife! You have no idea how that feels! Come on, your sentence is far from up.". "No!" I shouted. "His sentence is over. If it hadn't been for this man, Solitude would be rubble! You're not taking this man back to the Keep!" Everyone was shocked. Azloph sighed. "I guess you're right. The past is the past, yes? I'll take it up with Jarl Elisif. That _doesn't _mean you're free." Vilvani turned to me. "Yeah, it does. Haha! Thank you, lass. As I promised, I will be happy to translate for you." I took a deep breath. "Hiu Zok Hokoron Nis Kos Sein, Haalvut, Ahr Hon." Vilvani's face was struck with surprise. "By the nine! I haven't heard that saying in years." He was very awkward. Almost like he was scared of it. "Well, what does it mean?" I asked **"Your greatest enemy cannot be seen, felt, or heard."**

At that moment everything went dark and quiet.


	2. Chapter 2

**At that moment, everything went dark and quiet.**

My mind is racing. Where am I? What happened?An elderly mans voice came from the darkness. "Child, it is okay. Do not be afraid." I tried to speak, but could not move my lips. The man spoke again. "All you questions will be answered in due time." I small white light appeared out of the darkness. It began to grow closer and closer until it was surrounding me. When the light faded away, I found myself lying on the ground in a dark forest. I sat up slowly. There was a small fire with a strange man sitting near it. The cowl covering his face looked oddly familiar, yet I couldn't put my finger on it.

He noticed me. "Merri! You're alive!" The man pulled off his hood. It was Dellus. "You scared me. I thought you ended up just like the others."

He stood up and helped me to my feet. "Others? What happened to them?" I asked.

Dellus walked to the other side of the fire and grabbed his bag. "When Vilvani translated the phrase for you, it caused you and him to fall into some kind of sleep. More dragons appeared from every direction. We fought them off as best we could. But... Many of the men, including Azloph, didn't make it. One of the dragons grabbed Vilvani and flew north. I was able to grab you and make it to the Keep along with a few other men."

I'm not usually one to get scared, but this time was different. Azloph and Vilvani... Gone. "Where are the other men?" I asked.

There were only six of us, including you and I. Three of the men started west to Winterhold, while the fourth came with us. He's out collecting wood with Shelda. We are almost to the Cyrodiil Border. We need to get to the Imperial City and alert the Emperor. The sun's almost here." Dellus handed me a tunic and instructed me to put it on.

"Here? Now? Are you crazy?" Did he really think I was going to just get dressed in front of him? He must be out of his mind.

"Fine! Suit yourself. You can wear those filthy rags out in public." Dellus replied.

I sighed. _'I guess he's right. What choice do I have?' _I took the tunic and changed into it. It was a good thing I did it right away. Not five seconds after I finished putting it on, the Khajiit from the Solitude gates came out of the woods with Shelda. I never realized how short he was. Thin as paper, with pitch black fur. Kind of awkward, really.

His voice was slightly scratchy and weak. "Oh, Merri. You're okay. Good. I was scared we lost you. Dellus, we need to get moving. We still have a while to go." He grabbed a bow and quiver from the saddle on Shelda. "Merri, do you know how to use a bow? I found this on the ground on our way out of Solitude."

"Yes, I do. Thank you." I took the bow from him. Being the daughter of a hunter, I knew everything about bows, and I could tell this was a nice one. But, I couldn't identify the wood. It had a slightly reddish tint. The awkward carvings on the limbs were black, but didn't seem to be painted that way.

Dellus rolled the three sleeping rolls up and strapped them onto Shelda and we began heading south to the Cyrodiil Border.

We had only been walking a short while before entering Cyrodiil. All of a sudden, everything stopped. It was almost as if time itself froze, yet I could still move. A man appeared before me. His voice was identical to that of the man in the darkness. He said "Child, listen. Heed my instructions. You must not speak to the Emperor under any circumstances. Dellus and J'aad must go alone. You are to follow them to the White-Gold Tower, when you get to the door, tell them you will stay behind. Do not enter the door. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. May I ask who-" But, before I could ask who he was, everything was normal. Dellus and J'aad looked around.

"I felt something awkward, just then." Dellus said. J'aad agreed. Dellus looked to me. "Merri, did you feel that?"

"That was weird." I said. "Everything stopped moving, and a man appeared before me. He said I can't go see the Emperor. He didn't say why. He just said I am not to enter the door."

"An Illusion of a man? Interesting. Well, nonetheless, we need to get to the Imperial City." J'aad said.

We walked south until nightfall. Dellus and J'aad set up the bed rolls and started a fire while I took Shelda to a nearby creek for water. I started hearing rustling through the trees on the other side of the creek. It was getting closer. I reached for my bow. I grabbed an arrow and positioned it along the strings. _'Come on out. I'm not scared of you.'_ The rustling grew closer and closer. I drew the arrow back and took a deep breath. Just then, an elk stepped out of the trees. I exhaled and brought the arrow down. Then it occurred to me. _'Supper!'_ I drew the arrow again. I was surprised the elk didn't notice me. I took a deep breath. Steadied my aim. But before I could take the shot, a rabbit spooked Shelda, causing her to rear and snort. The elk was gone. _'Looks like it's bread and water for supper, again.'_

I walked back to camp. "Seriously?!" I yelled. Dellus and J'aad had an elk on the spit, and were eating.

Dellus swallowed his massive bite. "Sorry, J'aad saw her just over there. He grabbed his knife, threw it, and caught her right in the neck." He took another massive bite. "Want some?" He said with a mouthful.

I sighed. "No, thank you. I'll just have a drink and hit the hay." I walked over to a crate of mead by the fire. "Really? You drank _all_ of the mead?"

Dellus pointed to J'aad. "No, he had more than I did. I only had... Umm... How many did I have?" J'aad was already asleep.

I walked over to my bed roll. "You people are animals. Goodnight." My stomach was growling from hunger. It was going to be a long, long night.

Morning came. The sun was bright, the birds were singing, and I had two drunks passed out on the ground. I grabbed a bucket from Shelda's saddle and ran down to the creek real fast. _'I'll teach them to drink all the mead.'_ I filled the bucket with water and walked back to the camp. But, when I got there, Dellus, J'aad, and Shelda were gone. I looked around. _'This isn't good.'_ I looked in every direction. I saw a man in the distance running away, so I started running after him. I eventually caught up with him enough to see that he was with a bandit pack. They had Dellus and J'aad on the back of horses, still passed out. _'Damn fools. Wait. Where's Shelda?' _Just then I felt Shelda's cold nose touch the back of my arm. I guess when the bandits came, she ran off to come find me. Luckily my bow and quiver were still on her saddle. I tied her to the tree and began to shadow the bandits.

I followed them to a small cabin. When they went inside, I crouched by the door and counted my arrows. _'Twelve. Well, lets hope these boys can't run.' _I slowly opened the door and stepped inside. They were all gone. I saw a staircase on the other side of the room going down. I followed it down to a basement that was still empty. _'Where is everyone?'_ I walked around the basement for a while. I noticed a certain book on the bookshelf entitled '**Cheese**'. _'Cheese? Who would name a book Cheese?' _I pulled the book out of the wall. In the spot where the book was there was a button. When I pushed it, it cause the shelf behind me to open. _'Ha! Classic.' _I walked through the doorway into a hallway. The hallway opened up into another room.

I sneaked up to the wall and got a peek into the room. Dellus and J'aad were hanging by there wrists. There were three men laughing; using their bodies and punching bags. Dellus and J'aad were still very much asleep. _'How is it possible to sleep through that?' _I drew an arrow and picked off the bandit closest to me. Luckily, he went down silently, so the others were unaware. I then drew again and took down the one beating on J'aad. When the third noticed me, I quickly drew, released, and missed. He grabbed his sword and started to walk towards me. Just then, Dellus awoke. He threw his legs up onto the bandits shoulders and broke his neck, dropping him to the ground.

"Dear Talos, that hurt. Merri, where am I? Ah, what does it matter? Cut me down!" I pulled my knife and cut the ropes around Dellus's wrists. I then cut down J'aad. Dellus looked around the room. "We need to find some way to wake him up before more bandits show up." He walked over to a shelf and grabbed some fire salts. "Ha! This should do the trick. Merri, hold his arms down. There's no telling what he'll do when he wakes up." Dellus dropped a pinch of fire salts on J'aad's tongue. Within' moments, J'aad woke up in a fit of screaming. Dellus quickly put his hand over J'aad's mouth. "Merri, grab some wine from the table." I walked over to the table and found a bottle of wine.

J'aad drank it like a sailor and was calmed. "Thank you."

Dellus stood up and helped J'aad up. "No time for hugs and kisses. Let's go!" We ran back into the cabin, upstairs and out the door. In the distance, there was a highwaymen untying Shelda's reins.

I pushed Dellus out of the way and grabbed an arrow. "Look out!" The arrow cut through the air like silk piercing the man's thigh. We ran up to him as fast as possible. I was going to finish him, but Dellus stopped me. "Stop. It's okay. There's no need to kill him. He's not a bandit. J'aad, there's some Sleeping Tree Sap in my knapsack." J'aad brought the sap to Dellus. He opened the bottle and gave it to the man. "Drink this. It causes your body to focus all of it's energy on curing wounds. You may not be able to move for a while.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for trying to take your horse." The man said.

"Don't worry about it. Just don't try to do it again. You're very lucky she missed." Dellus propped the man's back up on a fallen tree. "Let's go! We have no time to waste. J'aad, how fast can you run?"

"I'm a cat. How fast do you want me to run?" J'aad dropped down to all-fours while Dellus and I mounted Shelda.

Dellus looked to the man once again. "Hint of advice. Stay out of sight of dragons. There's going to be more and more of them." He looked to J'aad again. "Race you to the Imperial City Gates. Merri, hold tight." We took off. Moving faster than I've ever seen Shelda go. J'aad started to fall behind, but I guess he just needed to warm up. Soon enough, he came blasting ahead of us.

It wasn't long until we reached the Gates. Dellus and I unmounted Shelda. Turns out, J'aad beat us to the gates. We had been moving about 40 minutes. Dellus tossed J'aad a small coin purse. As we approached the gates, a guard stopped us. "Hold there. State your business." He said.

"I am here to see the Emperor. It is of utmost urgency that I get this information to him." Dellus explained.

The guard stood there for a second, looking at us. "How do I know that you speak truth?"

"Sir, do we look like the kind of people that would hurt the city. If you turn us down, and the Emperor hears about what happened in Solitude.."

The guard stopped him. "Solitude? We just had a courier arrive this morning with news. Go on in. Better hurry. Here take this. It'll help you get into the Castle." The guard handed Dellus a writ of passage.

We took Shelda to the stables and began walking to the Castle. As we were walking down a corridor to the fourth flight of stairs, J'aad tripped a little. As his shoulder dropped I caught a split-second glimpse of a man standing at the end corridor, but when I looked again, he was gone. We continued up several flights of stairs until we reached the Emperor's chambers. "Dellus, I'm going to stay here."

Dellus looked at me. "Are you sure? Okay, if you want." He opened the door and walked in with J'aad.

After the door closed, the man appeared again. But this time, I didn't feel as if time had stopped. "Child, thank you for heeding my instructions. Now, when that door opens, no matter what happens, you are to run. Run to the keep. There will be a man, you'll recognize him. Follow him. Do exactly as he says, as he is my son. He knows my reasons. Whatever you do, do not leave his side. Understand?"

"Yes sir!" The man disappeared again. I began to hear hollering and shouting coming from the Emperor's chambers. When the door opened, a man stood there. He was obviously not Human, nor Mer. His skin was pitch black with red markings. He had horns coming out of his head. Behind him, Dellus and J'aad laid face first on the ground. I turned around and ran as fast as I could. Down the corridors and stairs, to the keep. On my way into the keep I yelled to a guard. "Sir, there's someone attacking the Emperor!" When the guard turned around, he too was the same kind of being. I entered the keep to find Vilvani standing before me. "Merri, drop!" I fell to the ground. The door opened and one of the creatures stepping inside. Vilvani shouted the creature to pieces. The same shout from Solitude. "Come, Merri. We must go, now!"

I took his hand and we were instantly transported to a house. Vilvani offered me a seat. "Thank you for listening to my father, Andarys. As he promised. I will tell you everything. The saying your father told you, is Dovahzul. It means 'Your greatest enemy cannot be seen, felt, or heard.' Can you figure out what that means?"

I shook my head. "No."

Vilvani sat back in his chair. "It means 'Darkness'. Darkness is your greatest enemy. In the dark, you stand without defense. You cannot see the things that threaten your life. Listen, Mehrunes Dagon, Molag Bal, and Boethiah have formed an alliance. Back when Emperor Tiber Septim I miraculously became the ninth divine, Mehrunes, Molag, and Boethiah realized that the mortals were becoming stronger and stronger. The Daedra controlled Nirn. If the mortals became to powerful, they could take it back. So, the three Daedric Princes formed an alliance. Mehrunes went to Azura. He said 'I want you to destroy the sun.' But Azura was smarted than Mehrunes.

She knew that destroying the sun would cause Nirn to freeze. She respectfully declined. Mehrunes needed darkness. So, he spoke to Nocturnal. He said 'I want you to cast a shadow over the sun.' Nocturnal, in a fit of disrespect shouted 'I refuse to be pushed into labor. If you wish the sun to be blinded, you must find something for me. A bow. Made of the rarest of wood, known as Elzach Wood.' Mehrunes accepted and sent some of his Dremora servants to find the bow. The men back in the castle, those were Dremora. Merri, that bow you carry; _That _is the Elzach Bow. A bow made of the rarest wood."

I was speechless. I grabbed the bow and looked at it again. "So, Mehrunes Dagon wants this?" I asked.

Vilvani sighed. "Yes, lass, and he'll do whatever it takes. Now, on another note. You're probably curious about Dellus and J'aad, yes? Don't be. My father has them. I'll go get them right now. Don't move." Vilvani vanished, and within seconds reappeared with Dellus and J'aad.

Dellus started freaking out. "What? What the...?! Merri! Vilvani! How did you-"

Vilvani interrupted. "I'll explain everything. But we must go. We're running out of time."

We gathered food and basic supplies, saddled 3 horses and rode west. Along the way Vilvani explained what happened and gave us our instructions. "In order to kill a Daedric Prince, you must first destroy it's artifact. Daedric artifacts keep their Prince's soul bound in Oblivion. We will attack the weakest of the three. Boethiah. Luckily, I was able to sign a bit of a false contract with her. She foolishly granted me her Ebony Mail. All we have to do is destroy it."

"Okay, so where is it?" Dellus asked.

Vilvani pointed to his mail with his thumb. "I'm wearing it! Only Ebony can destroy Ebony. So, we need to find something made of Ebony.

J'aad grabbed his ax. "We could use this." Sure enough. J'aad was carrying a beautiful Ebony axe. We unmounted and walked to a nearby log. Vilvani took off the mail and set in on the log.

He took a step back. "J'aad, it's your axe. Care to do the honors?" J'aad gripped the ax and took a swing. The axe struck the Ebony Mail with great force, making a loud "clank".

Dellus walked up to the mail. "Did it work?"

Vilvani picked it up. "No. But why?"

Dellus took the axe from J'aad. "You just gotta put your back into it!" Dellus took a mighty swing. It dented it, but the mail began to repair itself. "Oh, come on!"

Vilvani's father, Andarys, appeared out of nowhere. "Son, have I taught you nothing? Dellus, give me the axe." He place the blade to the mail, and in one, split-second motion, tapped the axe lightly on the mail.

Dellus sighed. "Honestly, sir. Why don't you let someone with a bit more muscle try and-" The mail began to crack. The crack grew larger and larger. The mail burst into pieces and a loud scream came from it.

The man handed the axe back to J'aad and crossed his arms. "See, you just need to understand basic armor structure. The weak point couldn't have been any clearer, Son. Now, I must get back. Oh, and a word of advice to you all. Do not be afraid of death. Because the fear of death will surely lead to death itself. Vilvani, I'm afraid this will be the last time I see you. Goodbye."

Andarys turned around and walked away, his body scattering into tiny blue lights.

I put my hand on Vilvani's arm. "I'm sorry-"

He sniffed. "Don't be. He's wrong. I will see him again. When Mer die, their souls are sent to a plane similar to that of Sovngarde. It is known as Einvaal. One day I will die and be reunited with my father.

J'aad walked over to us with a necklace in his hands. "Vilvani, I think Andarys dropped this. Some sort of amulet." It was an amulet, alright. Beautiful gold casing with an awkward red stone. "Is that a ruby?" He asked.

"Let me see it." Being part of a trade caravan, Jewelry was nothing new to Dellus. "That's no ruby. That's a Soulstone!"

"A Soulstone? Like a Soul Gem?" Vilvani asked.

Dellus rubbed his eyes with his hand. "Not exactly. While a Soul Gem is used to capture the soul of one who's been killed, a Soulstone is used to capture your own soul so when you die, your soul will forever be on earth. If Andarys really dropped that -and I have no doubt that he did-, he can use it to watch over the wearer." He explained.

Vilvani looked at the amulet. "So, if I put this on, he can see me." Vilvani slipped the amulet over his neck. "Well, if anything, I'm prettier now." We all chuckled. "Now, we need to go. Boethiah is weakened. Now is our chance to strike."

We saddled the horses and rode to the mountains of Cheydinhal. We needed to call on Boethiah, and kill her. We arrived at the Shrine the next day. A ten foot tall statue of Boethiah stood before us. Vilvani walked to the shrine and knelt. "Boethiah. Your champion calls upon you in his time of need. Bless me with your strength and wisdom."

A woman's voice came from the sky. "My champion, Vilvani the Vicious. Where is my Mail?", She said.

Vilvani, still on his knee. "My apologies, your Highness. It has been damaged in combat. I have repaired it and brought it to you for your blessing." A black portal opened from the statue, and out walked a woman. Clothed in black. Long black hair. She soon realized that Vilvani had his sword to her throat. "Wrong move, Highness."

Boethiah dropped to her knees, still with an evil look in her eyes. "Using my own trick against me. Very cleaver, Elf. But if you kill me, that will break the contract between Daedra and Champion. In turn, you will die too!"

Vilvani kept his sword tight to Boethiah's throat. "This is true. It's a shame for you that I will not kill you... She will." Vilvani pointed to me.

Dellus stepped in. "You can't be serious. She's just a girl!"

"Hush, Dellus." I yelled. "I've killed more in a week then you have in your life." I grabbed my bow and an arrow.

Boethiah looked at me. "So, that's the Elzach Bow. I've heard much about it. Mehrunes won't stop speaking of it. Have you any idea why he wants it?"

I drew the arrow tight. "No, and frankly, I don't care."

"Fool! You know nothing! It's not about the bow itself. What's inside the bow is what Mehrunes wants." She said with a voice of hatred.

I lowered the bow. "What is inside it?"

She had a smile of evil. Lowering her head, she laughed. "You'll have to find that out for yourself. Now, kill me! But, heed my words, child. If you kill me, you will be doomed to fall."

I stood there for a second, staring at her. Finally, I raised the arrow, and pierced her heart. "One down. Two to go. Let's move!" I shouted.

Vilvani explained that we were to kill Molag Bal. We rode several days towards Markarth, Skyrim. Along the way, after we entered Skyrim, I began to think a lot about what Boethiah said.

"_**It's not about the bow itself. What's inside the bow is what Mehrunes wants."**_

'_What could possibly be inside this bow?' _I rode ahead of Dellus to Vilvani. "Hey. Do you, by any chance, know anyone who could tell me more about this bow?"

He sighed. "Lassie, that is the rarest wood in the world. There are only 2 or 3 known locations of it in all of Nirn. No, I'm sorry. I don't."

At that moment, an explosion came from the west, near Falkreath. Vilvani's hair stood up. I guess Dark Elves are easily spooked. "Everyone, this way!" We cut off the main trail and headed towards Falkreath.

As we entered the hold, we saw Dremora everywhere. They were attacking the townsfolk. In the center of the village stood Mehrunes Dagon. He was a lot bigger than I remember. At least twenty feet tall and as red as blood with horns the size of greatswords. He soon noticed us and turned to speak. "Ah! I knew you would come. I've always wanted to burn this hold down, yet I've had to waste my precious time chasing down that bow. So, here's how this is going to work. You either hand over the bow and I end your lives painlessly, or you refuse, and I let my Dremora decide what to do. Believe me, they are much more twisted than I."

I man came walking out from behind us. He was a elderly man, mid sixty's. Short, combed white hair. And a coat of gold and lavender. He began to clap slowly. "Mehrunes, you certainly put on a jolly show. Now hows about you let these kids get back to their playtime, and we go grab some cheese!"

Mehrunes sighed. "Sheogorath, can you save your shenanigans for another time? These 'kids' have the Elzach Bow."

I stared in amazement. _'Sheogorath? The Daedric Prince of Madness?' _I looked to Vilvani. "We'd better hope they don't get into a bout. That will be a mess."

I spoke too soon. Sheogorath began to laugh. "Elzach? Why that's a cheese if I've ever heard of one! Why do you need that silly bow? You've weaker than a amputated lamb." Sheogorath began to sway, like a drunkard.

_'We're doomed.'_

Mehrunes was furious. "You pathetic little waster! I should crush you beneath my feet!"

Sheogorath raised his hand, revealing an empty wine bottle. "Ha! Right. I'm the Daedric prince of... Oh what does it matter." A blue glow surrounded Sheogorath for a moment. He stopped swaying, like he was instantly sober. "Listen close, Mehrunes. You will not hurt these kids. We both know, when it comes to man on man, I am unbeatable."

Mehrunes began to walk towards Sheogorath. "Puny Sheo!" Mehrunes yelled, lifting his foot as to step on Sheogorath.

Sheogorath remained motionless. "Hefhed Ayem Lyr!", he shouted. Mehrunes began to lose his balance and fell to his back. Sheogorath walked onto his chest. "Silly Mehrunes. You really need to get a hold on that balance of yours." He turned and walked towards us laughing. "I'm sorry, Vilvani. I didn't have enough time to find the Razor. Although, I may know where it is. Mehrunes Dagon's champion. Her name is Teva. She's a Nord from Riften. She's rumored to be part of the Thieves Guild."

Vilvani nodded. "Thank you, Sheo. You have been a good friend, and a great Prince. Here, I picked this up through my travels. I figured you'd want it." Vilvani reached into his knapsack, pulled out a package, and handed it to Sheogorath.

Sheogorath opened the wrappings to find a block of Eidar Cheese. "Oh, my boy! Thank you, so very much! This will go most excellently with my aged Firebrand Wine. Thank you, and thank you again! One more thing, how is my ol' Wabbajack doing?"

Vilvani smiled. "I don't have it with me, at the moment. I was afraid it'd be damaged."

Sheogorath was the happiest man I'd ever seen in my life. "My boy, always thinking of safety first! Well, I must get back to the Shivering Isles. It was a pleasure meeting all of you." With a smile on his face, Sheogorath vanished along with Mehrunes Dagon.

Vilvani smiled. "Shall we be going?", he asked.

J'aad adjusted himself on the horse. "So, are we going to Markarth or Riften?

Vilvani answered. "Riften. The sooner we kill Mehrunes Dagon, the better."

So we rode all the way to Riften. None of us had slept in days. When we arrive, we decide to get a room at The Bee and The Barb Tavern and Inn. I lied my head down to rest.

I began to dream. I was standing on a glowing blue orb. I began to hear a voice in the distance. "Merri!" It sounded like Azloph. "Merri!" Another blue orb appeared in the distance before me and began to float towards me. Once it was close to me, it started to take human form. Once it finished I realized it was Azloph. "Merri, listen to me. What you are about to hear must be understood. The Elzach Bow is very dangerous. You're probably wondering what Boethiah meant, yes? The bow contains a special form of magic. One that has rarely been seen before. I witnessed it for is a crystal inside the bow. It is known as the Stone of Life. It possesses the power to steal the life from one being -mortal or otherwise- and give it to another. Mehrunes Dagon wants to that stone so he can create an invincible army. He, himself could even become invincible. As much as I hate to admit it, there is _no _way to destroy the Stone of Life. You must destroy Mehrunes Razor! It has a weakness to ice, same as Mehrunes Dagon. Freeze the blade solid, then break it."

More blue orbs appeared around me. They began to take shape. "Mother! Father! But, how did you-"

"It's alright, Merri." He said. "Mehrunes Dagon attacked Rorikstead. You're a strong girl. I believe in you. Azloph, call on Talos."

Azloph closed his eyes and a large blue orb appeared behind me. "Merri of Rorikstead. Daughter of Alvar and Gertus. It's an honor to meet you."

I bowed. "The honor's mine, your Highness."

Talos laughed. "It's okay child. I'm no longer the Emperor. You can just call me Tiber or Talos. Whichever suits your fancy. Now, to business. You will not be able to kill Mehrunes Dagon on your own. You will need my help. I, along with the Eight Divines have agreed to grant you a gift. You're friend, the Dark Elf. Vilvani, was it? He is Dragonborn. But, Vilvani cannot kill Mehrunes. He's not strong enough. Not at heart. You, Merri. You are strong enough. You have the determination. Merri, when you wake from this slumber, you will find that you feel different. _Very_ different. You will have knowledge you'd never known before. After Mehrunes Razor is destroyed, find him at his shrine and shout 'Faas Sos Krii' at him. It means Fear, Blood, Kill. Only one mortal has ever known this shout. Me. It will kill him. Now, morning is coming. Say your goodbyes."

I turned to my parents. Before I could speak I teared up and hugged them. "Goodbye!"

"For now, Merri. For now. Sovngarde awaits." Father said.

I wiped my eyes clear and turned around to Talos. He placed his hands on my shoulders. **"Speak. Be heard. Mundus is listening."**

When I awoke, I was laying in the bed in The Bee and The Barb. Vilvani barged in the door. "He spoke to you, didn't he? He gave you the power of the Thu'um."

I sat up on the edge of the bed. "Yes, he did. Vilvani, I'm ready to kill Mehrunes Dagon!"

We suited up and left the Inn. Vilvani said he knew exactly where to find Teva. The Ragged Flagon. He said it was a secret tavern where only members of the thieves guild were allowed. We walked to a graveyard where we found a tomb with an awkward looking symbol on it. A diamond with a circle in the center. Vilvani pushed the symbol. It was a button, which caused the grave to reveal a ladder going downwards. We climbed down the ladder and ended up in a room filled with guild members.

A Breton walked up to us. "You lost, friend?", he asked.

Vilvani was obviously very serious. "Where is Teva? Take us to her."

The man drew his sword. "What makes you think you can just walk into our cistern and demand orders."

J'aad walked out from behind us. "I do."

The man was shocked. _'Do they know each other?'_

"J'aad, where have you been?" The Breton asked.

J'aad's face remained perfectly straight. "None of your business. As the leader of the Thieves Guild, I demand you take us to Teva. Mehrunes Dagon is planning an attack on Tamriel and we need to destroy his Razor."

The Breton agreed and took us into the Ragged Flagon. _'So, J'aad is a member of the Thieves Guild? But, I thought he was a guard in Solitude. Whoa...'_

We approached a Nord woman who was sitting at the bar drinking. The Breton began to introduce us, but J'aad interrupted. "Teva. Give me the Razor. Mehrunes Dagon is planning an attack on Tamriel. The only way we can kill him is if we destroy the Razor."

I didn't expect Teva to be so understanding. But, sure enough, she handed over the blade. Dellus cast a frost spell on the Razor freezing it solid. He then broke the blade with his bare hands. "That was easy." He said. We wasted no time. We left Riften and headed towards the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon.

When we arrived, Mehrunes Dagon was waiting outside. "So, you think that because you have destroyed my Razor, that means I am weak. Wrong! The Razor only binds my soul to Oblivion. I may not be invincible, but I am still powerful.

I unmounted my horse. "Mehrunes Dagon. Daedric Prince of Destruction. Nirn is not yours to control. It belongs to those who created it. The Aedra." I began walking closer to him. "Mortals are becoming stronger. Strong enough to destroy even a Daedra like you." The snow beneath me started to spiral upwards. I could feel the Thu'um stirring inside of me. "Mehrunes Dagon. Today, I kill you!" Mehrunes took a step forward to grab me. But he was too late. "Faas Kren Krii!" I shouted. Mehrunes froze. His body began crack. His skin turned gray, like stone. His body began to disintegrate into dust. It was over. I killed Mehrunes Dagon.

When it was all over. People started to show up all around me, including Sheogorath. "Lassie, I cannot thank you enough. You have killed the strongest Daedric Prince. We all thank you! We've all joined here for you!"

He was right. I noticed that the people standing around me were the Daedric Princes. Azura, Clavicus Vile, Hircine, Hermaeus Mora, Malacath, and Nocturnal. They're all here. "Wait, where's Molag Bal?" I asked.

Nocturnal spoke up. "Oh, don't worry about him. We've already given him the beating of his life."

Clavicus Vile, the Daedric Prince of Wishes and Gifts, walked up to me. "Say, girly. Thank you so very much for killing Mehrunes. As a token of my gratitude, I will offer you the revival of one person in your life. It's the most I can offer!"

I thought for a moment. "Talos."

Clavicus was shocked. "What?!"

I held my chin high. "Tiber Septim I. Talos. I want him resurrected. Tamriel was a peaceful, sovereign nation when he was Emperor. I want him brought back in full health!"

Clavicus vile scratched his head. "Well, if that is your wish."

A bright light flashed. Talos walked out with his Emperor's robes. "Thank you, Merri. This means a lot. You have done Tamriel... No, you have done Nirn, a great, great service. Thank you.

So there you have it. In the span of three weeks, I managed to kill two Daedric Princes, spoke to the greatest emperor that ever lived, and restored Tamriel to it's full glory.

For the following years, Tamriel remained without war. It seemed it would stay that way forever. But, we were wrong...

**The End.**


End file.
